Pro Bono Legal Services

The provision of legal services which will enhance access to justice for disadvantaged or marginalised persons or organisations and/or promote the public interest

1. The provision of legal assistance for free or at a substantially reduced fee to:—
   1. individuals who can demonstrate a need for legal assistance but cannot access the legal system without incurring significant financial hardship; or
   2. individuals or organisations whose matter raises an issue of public interest which would not otherwise be pursued; or
   3. charities or other non-profit organisations which work on behalf of low income or disadvantaged members of the community or for the public good;
2. Conducting law reform and policy work on issues affecting low income or disadvantaged members of the community, or on issues of public interest;
3. Participating in the provision of free community legal education on issues affecting low income or disadvantaged members of the community or on issues of public interest; or
4. Providing a lawyer on secondment at a community organisation (including a community legal organisation) or at a referral service provider such as a Public Interest Law Clearing House.

The following is NOT regarded as pro bono work for the purposes of this statement:

1. Giving legal assistance to any person for free or at a reduced fee without reference to whether he/she can afford to pay for that legal assistance or whether his/her case raises an issue of public interest.
2. Free first consultations with clients who are otherwise billed at a firm’s normal rates;
3. Contingency fee arrangements or other speculative work which is undertaken with a commercial expectation of a fee;
4. The sponsorship of cultural and sporting events, work undertaken for business development and other marketing opportunities; or
5. Time spent by lawyers sitting on the board of a community organisation (including a community legal organisation) or a charity.